Second nature

The tree had appeared to be dying and was almost completely brown on one side.  It was a conifer, originally bright green in colour, which I had planted in front of the window not long after we had moved into our last house and I liked it very much.    'Cut it down' my husband had said when it first began to turn brown late in Summer 2004, but I had not wanted to and had left it alone over the Winter months. 

Now it was February 2005 and I noticed tiny green shoots sprouting from both trunk and dry brown branches and I was overjoyed, not only because the tree was not going to die, but because I was being taught something by the Lord through the tree just when I desperately needed it.

Sometimes it can be extremely hard to focus on the Spiritual when the carnal mind will constantly focus on the flesh, and many times we will look negatively on ourselves and one another because of this, dwelling more on the old sinful nature instead of the new creation which is forming within us.

Eagerness to learn comes as 'second nature' to me but God has a principle when teaching us and it is 'line upon line, precept on precept'.  'It would be like throwing the whole of the Oxford dictionary at you at once' said my digital imaging course tutor when I had wanted to know something that I was not ready to learn.

There had been many areas in my life, and still are, where I felt I had failed in my Christian walk and most of the self condemnation had grown out of dwelling on what needed to be changed instead of what the Lord had already done in me.  I had not actually realized this until the incident with the tree brought it to my attention.

I was being reminded not to fix my gaze on the old me and my human capabilities, but to look at the new spiritual creature that God was creating through Jesus and all the benefits that came with being a child of God.  As far as God was concerned, that old creature was dead.  Verse 16 of 2 Corinthians ch.5 tells us not to regard anyone from a human point of view, and verse 13 of Colossians ch.2 tells us that though we were once dead in trespasses, we have been made alive with Christ.  Human mind and eyes will limit what is possible both in personal salvation and prayer by focusing on the old creation instead of the new.  

As a new creation in Christ Jesus all things are possible to him who believes. Mark ch.9 v.23  Just as it says in Genesis chapter 25 v.5 'Abraham left everything he owned to his son Isaac', in Jesus I inherit all things given to Him by God.  My part is to put on my new nature by allowing God to renew my mind in His Son Jesus so that I have the mind of Christ.

Colossians ch. 3 describes both natures as follows:-

Old nature

Fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander and foul talk.   

New nature

Compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forbearing one another and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.  And above all these put on love.  

We are encouraged in Ephesians ch.4 v.22 - 24 to 'Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the Spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.'

Just as with my tree the new green shoots were gradually replacing the old dead wood, so too am I gradually being conformed to the image of my creator.

The following is a poem that I wrote at that time, reflecting my self condemnation and the Lord's encouragement to me to concentrate on my 'second nature' rather than my first.  

Look and see

All that look - that look on me
see only here a dying tree
In brittle branch and withered wood
they find no beauty - see no good
perceiving just what would have been
if You had not come on my scene

But shoots of green they do not see
new budding leaves that struggle free
from lifeless form that once was me
For carnal mind and human eyes
both dwell and gaze on all that dies
and in this chrysalis of tree
will fail to see eternity

Oh all that look - look again at me
look now through eyes of faith and see
the hand of Jesus Christ - God's Son
gaze on the work that's being done
See miracle of power to save
a soul once destined for the grave

This Saviour whom my heart does love
has come from God on wings of dove
to change my destiny of strife
and bring to me eternal life
So look again upon this tree
see everywhere new greenery
Don't look upon the dying wood
See my Saviour's beauty - see my Saviour's good

'Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.'  2 Corinthians ch.4 v.16'

Lukewarm

A few days ago I was looking through some papers of mine and I came across an article I had written of an experience I had quite a few years back.  It was entitled 'Lukewarm'.  Many of my writings were written on an older computer with some packages that will not work on the Windows I have on my new computer, and I could not find this testimony in my files.  I noticed that there were lots of other writings and testimonies that were missing also so I investigated a little and found  many of them on a memory stick that could be used on my new computer.  I thought maybe I would share some of them on my blog. Today I thought I would put 'Lukewarm' on. 

Lukewarm

(Written in November 2004 - an edited version)
On Tuesday, when I was looking on some old floppy disks for photographs I came across a file entitled 'Judgement begins with the house of God', something I had written some time back, so I printed it out and read it.

Wednesday evening on my digital imaging course I was given some homework by my tutor.  It was to take photographs on the theme 'Shadow and substance'.

Just before I made the bed on Thursday morning I noticed the shadows falling across the crumpled sheets and pillow cases. 

The saying  'You make your bed and lie on it' came into my mind and I thought 'What a perfect title and photograph for a project, either as a fact or a suggestion, I could do something with this'.  The sheets were covered in roses and I thought 'We can either make life a bed of roses or something else'. So I took two photographs, one with the sheets crumpled and one with the bed made.(not very well I have to admit)

                                                                 

Then I remembered that within the piece 'Judgement begins with the house of God' there was a poem I had written, called 'Lukewarm' ,which contained a line or two referring to a bed. 

 I thought maybe this was not coincidence, that the Lord may be showing me something here.

Lukewarmness is spoken of in one of the seven churches in the book of Revelations, in the Laodicean church. All the churches except one were tolerating something that is ungodly within its bounds, the difference with the Philadelphian church being shown in Ch. 3 v.8 'For you have a little strength and have kept my Word and have not denied my name'. 'Philadelphia' means 'brotherly love'.  The Laodiceans were a group of people who claimed to be followers of Christ but who relied on their wealth and worldly goods rather than Jesus Christ's teachings, and people's principles rather than God's.  'Laodicea' means 'people's opinions'.  

Just as in Isaiah's day the Lord's judgement had come upon His people because of their unfaithfulness, 'for Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying His glorious presence.' Isaiah ch. 3 v. 8 so too it acts as a warning to us today.  Isaiah ch. 4 v.1 says 'In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say 'We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name, take away our reproach.'   As His word is the same yesterday, today and forever, is this a spiritual message to God's Spiritual Israel (His church) today not to bear the name of Jesus Christ and at the same time eat their own food (a doctrine other than that of the doctrine of Christ),and wear their own clothes, the clothes of a spiritual prostitute, Isaiah ch. 3 vs. 18-23  instead of their robes of righteousness.  

Verse 2 of 1 Peter ch. 1 says that it is for obedience to Jesus Christ that we are chosen and destined by God and sanctified by the Spirit.  We are not exempt from God's judgement because we wear the name of Christ.  Judgement begins at the house of God as spoken of in 1 Peter ch.4  v.17, and here 'the house of God' refers to Christians, verse 18 saying that the righteous man is scarcely saved.  

In 2 Peter ch.2 vs.1 and 2  Peter foretells that there will be false teachers in the church just as there were false prophets also among the people of Israel.  'But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves.  Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.' 

We can see this happening today with strange doctrines popping up in different places that are not in line with God's word.  It has become fashionable to please man rather than to please God.  We have to be very careful who we regard as 'rulers' in the church and test what they teach as doctrine against the word of God, taking heed that they are not preaching another Jesus, for there are many 'knock on' effects.  Proverbs 29 v.12 says  'If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.'  

Lukewarm

Some people say 'Don't speak about your King 
don't speak about this Jesus to me
don't tell me I must follow Him down the road to Calvary'
They say 'We'll just be called by His holy name but leave us to eat our own bread
and we'll wear our own apparel' then they labour to make their own bed
but the covering on it is narrow and the bed itself is too short
both getting smaller and smaller as they're judged by each ungodly thought
They're building mighty castles Lord they don't have Your foundation
building castles for themselves strongholds big and wide
With hewn out stones and polished beams they've built their own creation
and now they put their images inside
Everyone right in their own eyes abiding in vanity
spinning ever faster Lord towards total insanity
Not hearing the voice of the Master but listening to a lie
outside they appear to be living yet inside they slowly die
They're seeking to worldly 'physicians' to bring about their release
looking to man for deliverance yet never finding peace
Not willing to take Your chastening 'Too grievous for me' they say
forgetting that at the end of each night is always the light of day
And all the time Lord You are trying to take away their shame
visiting each one in turn calling out each name
saying 'Return unto me child seek the face of your Lord above
For it is he who keeps my commandments that shall abide in my love.


Back to the present time.
                                                                  

Although my digital imaging course homework all those years ago prompted me to write the article 'Lukewarm', the photograph I took into my class on the subject 'shadow and substance' was one called 'Light revealing all that I do', which also spoke to me spiritually.

Two things happened this morning which made me feel that God wanted me to share this post.  

As I lay in bed I was thinking about the fact that I would put the section on false teachers and those who rule in the post, my husband said (and I noticed he was looking at the red sky through the window)  'Red sky in the morning - shepherds warning.'   I realized straight away that it went together with God warning those who are shepherds over His people who may not be building on His foundation, Jesus Christ.

Later on in the morning my husband pointed up into the sky from the lounge window at a Red Kite bird of prey, and said 'Look at how they ride on the wind.'  It made me think of how the Lord wants His church to be sustained by, and rely upon, the teachings of His Holy Spirit, as were those in the Philadelphia church doing two thousand years ago, not upon their worldly wealth and man's doctrines.

Hold fast that which is good

As I wrote the title of this post 'Hold fast that which is good' the sentence 'Hold fast that which is God' came straight into my mind, for that which is truly 'good' is that which is God.

When our son bought his first cottage with his first wife, who has since fallen asleep in the Lord, there was an old picture on one of the walls in the lounge of that cottage with the words 'Hold fast that which is good'.   I feel that I had been brought to see these words as encouragement to me to put my trust in Gods word, whether it be for guidance or for a promise.

I have been tested in many areas in my life regarding putting my trust in the Lord and I would like to encourage any other person who might be going through a hard trial that, if you believe the Lord has spoken to you, then hold fast to that which has been spoken.  Trials are quite often tests to strengthen us in the Lord, and help us to mature in Him.

I love these verses from 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 vs 15 - 24, which I believe speak of our maturing in the Lord, the last sentence encouraging us to trust in His faithfulness. 'See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.  Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.   Quench not the Spirit.  Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  Abstain from all appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is He that calls you, who will also do it.'


Sometimes we think the Lord has not answered our prayers because they do not get answered fast enough but there is a time for everything, even for healing. (Ecclesiastes ch.3 v.3).   If we are told in the previous verses from 1 Thessalonians ch.5 that Faithful is He that calls you, then we must trust also that He will also do what He has promised, not looking at the situation, but looking at the promise of God, just as Abraham did when he went to offer his son Isaac, but knew that God would provide a sacrifice because of the promise of descendants through Isaac. (Genesis ch. 22)  Right at the beginning of this chapter it says that God was testing Abraham and I believe we too can be tested to see if we believe a promise God has made to us, and within these tests we can maintain the peace of God which passes all understanding. 

A few weeks ago I was walking around a car boot sale and I found a brass key hanger with the word 'Shalom', both in English and Hebrew on it.  I love this word and I was so pleased that I could buy this item.  I placed it on a candle holder in which was a rose that I cut from a bush about five years ago and dried.  It still has much of its colour and quite a strong perfume.  I placed it there as a reminder to me of the life that we can have as a new creation in our Lord when we are cut off from that which is earthly( the old man).

'Shalom' has a much deeper meaning in the Hebrew language than the 'peace' that we associate it with in the English translation.  According to Strong's Concordance it 's full meaning is  completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety,soundness, tranquillity, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Jesus says in John ch. 16 v.33 'These things I have spoken to you that IN ME you may have PEACE.  In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'

So all the things listed in Strong's Concordance regarding the meaning of 'shalom'are what we are promised if we are IN THE LORD, and hold fast to the word that He has spoken to us.

The following is a poem that I wrote some years ago which I suppose sum up my feelings on what I have written.

Hold fast that which is good 

I cannot know with yesterday's mind
what tomorrow's heart may feel
and the scenes I get in my head today
in the future may not be real
So I'm taking no thought for tomorrow
and yesterday's already past
but today I am standing on God's precious word
it's the one thing to which I hold fast

'Things not working out according to our plans' are not necessarily 'things going wrong'

We have recently put our house up for sale.  My husband has wanted to return to his home town which is about forty miles away, the town we left nearly four years ago to come here.  I thought he was wanting to return to 'memories' as where we are here in West Wales is much more isolated than where we lived in South Wales.   He thought it would be a good idea if we went to view some houses there within our price range,  so on one day we went to view three houses and on another day we viewed four.   Each time he came away disappointed. 
  

Often we can think that just because things do not go according to our plans or timing that things are going wrong, but I do not believe that is necessarily the case.   In fact things have not gone to plan for my husband and myself the whole week, at least not according to the plans that our carnal minds had laid out, and I believe even this fact has emphasized to me what the Lord is showing me.  If we think that the plans that have been formed in our minds are what should have come to pass, then we will experience only frustration and stress because things have not happened that way.  Whereas if we wait on the Lord for His direction and obey His commands to us then we experience peace, knowing that we are doing His will and being obedient.   In John ch. 14 v.15 Jesus says to His disciples 'If you love me, keep my commands'.


For quite some time now I have believed that the Lord has confirmed to me that He will completely heal me from things that have been in my body for over twenty years, and I still believe it.  Just because it has not happened immediately after I believe I was told, it does not mean it is not going to happen.  In fact one of the scriptures that the Lord gave to me when telling me He was going to heal me was 'I waited patiently for the Lord'.   I believe there is a reason for everything 'and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.' Romans ch.8 v.28.  One of my blogger friends wrote in one of her comments, to encourage me in my trial, the scripture 'But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.' Isaiah ch. 40 v..31. 

I also believe that sharing testimony of what the Lord is doing can be encouraging to others who might be going through similar situations.  One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is 'long-suffering' and how can that fruit possibly be produced without hard trials?   Psalm 139 v. 16 says that ' Every day of my life was written in His book before even one of them was formed', and so I know that my times are in His hands and if the Lord has called me to do something that appears to be against the norm of this world, then no matter how the worldly wisdom of the carnal mind will fight against it, I should not worry, because 1 Peter ch. 5 v.7 says for me to 'cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for me.'

The Lord encouraged me some years ago, through a song that I wrote called ' On Hallowed Wing', not to worry about what He will call me to do.  He encouraged me to only obey Him and trust in Him.


On Hallowed Wing

When eagles fly on hallowed wing
to far and distant lands
they are not guided by man's voice
nor lifted by man's hands

They let no deluge hamper them

nor fear the driving snow

for all that would but trouble them

are in the clouds below

On hallowed wing the eagle flies 

its destiny to fulfil

and I must go where the Spirit leads

to do my Saviour's will

So when you do your Father's work

if child of God you be

look to the eagle lifted high

by God's grace given free

Then you will also face life's trials

and surely come to know

that strength will come from God above

and fear stay far below

On hallowed wing, on hallowed wing
the eagle's lifted high
He goes where others fear to tread
and likewise so must I

It is said of Jesus in  Hebrews ch. 5 v.8 'though He was without sin He learned obedience through the things He suffered.'  Matthew ch.26 v.. 39 says that Jesus said  'O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will', and though I will never need to suffer the way He suffered, in order to learn obedience I too say ' Lord, not as I will, but as You will.'  The eagle is a bird that flies far above the clouds, in a place where only the sun is shining.  So too, in Jesus, we can rise above the dark clouds that will come into our lives when we keep our eyes fixed upon the true light of this world, the Son of God - our Lord Jesus.

But my eyes are upon You O God the Lord

Sometimes I can hardly believe the way the Lord is able to strengthen me and encourage me to trust in Him in my weakness.  A few days ago I was feeling very weak in being able to hold on to the Lord's promise to me to completely heal me from the sickness I have had for so long.  My symptoms did not seem to be lessening, although He had removed completely extreme pain in the right side of my head and face - symptoms which the enemy was pointing out could be associated with a problem in my throat which I believe came as a result of a fish bone being lodged there at the beginning of this trial over twenty years ago.  

My mind seemed to be concentrating on the wisdom and ability of the world instead of the wisdom and ability of my God,  I realized that the more I thought this way the more the symptoms started to take over.  I prayed to the Lord according to the scriptures He had given me with the promise.  Psalm 119 vs. 49 and 50  'Remember Your word to me in which You have caused me to hope.  This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise brings me life',  and Psalm 40 v.1 'I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me.'

Then the next night I was laying in bed and for some reason it came into my mind how several things have come into my life that have been doubled. I mentioned this to my husband and said how strange it was.  I reminded him about when I had painted a picture with coloured inks on two glass vases .  

I had seen the picture in a book and had liked it because it was of swans, and one of  the things I know about swans is that they are mates for life.  My husband had said to me at one time that when we left this earth he wanted us to leave together holding hands, it had made me smile at the time. 

Shortly after painting the glass vases I was visiting a nearby town with my husband, sister and brother in law.  We were walking around a street market and I noticed a pottery vase for sale with the same picture on it.  I was amazed and bought it.

Laying in bed that night I was reminded also of a picture of a young girl and a book ornament with the same girl in a picture on one side of it and a poem to the left of it.  'Do you remember that picture and the book ornament?' I said to my husband, who by now may well have been asleep as he had not made a sound.  ' I can't remember what the poem was about.'  I thought about these two items, one that I had bought in the same town as I had bought the vase.  I was with the same people and my sister and I had gone into a church where there was a table top sale.  There was an old print of a picture of a young girl sitting outside a door blowing bubbles.

I could vaguely make out the word 'Amy' scratched in the wood at the top of the door.  I liked the picture and I knew that the name 'Amy' means 'loved'.  I just felt there was something about it and so I bought it.   

Some time later  I was at a car boot sale in a different town and came across the book ornament which had a picture of the same girl with a poem written beside it. 

As I lay there in bed that night I tried hard to think what the poem was called and what it was about, but it just would not come to me. I resolved to look at it the next morning, which I did.  Immediately I read the poem I knew why it had been taken from my mind and I had been brought to read it.

The Lord had seen my weakness and was reminding me once again that all things are possible with Him and was encouraging me to have faith to know that He will do what He has promised. Even the meaning of the young girl's name was reminding me that we are loved by the Lord.  It was a beautiful time of strengthening me against the spiritual enemy.

Psalm 141 v.8

But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;  In You I take refuge;

Believe

For quite some time now the Lord has been bringing my attention to the word 'believe'.  I have mentioned in my previous posts that I believe that the Lord has told me that He will heal me completely of the sickness that has been in my body for well over twenty years now, and how He spoke this to me by bringing to my attention the words in Psalm 103 vs 2 and 3 

'Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases'.

I have shared on my blog how the Lord revealed to me that His grace was sufficient for me, and how He confirmed this at various times.  What has come into my mind recently is the question of 'belief ' itself.  Jesus says in Mark ch. 9 v.23 b that 'all things are possible to him that believes.'  If I say 'I believe' do I really believe that what has been spoken to me will really happen?  And yet, just like the man in Mark ch. 9 v. 24b, I can say to the Lord 'I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.'  It has been brought to my attention recently the story of Abraham, how Abraham believed God above all what his eyes, ears and carnal mind told him, and also a little song that I wrote quite a few years ago that I don't seem to be able to stop singing in my mind lately.

  
We are told in Hebrews ch. 13 v.8 that 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever'.  I am also told in John 1 v.1 that Jesus is the word of God, so that 'word' is the same yesterday and today and forever.  The Holy Spirit has merely been bringing my attention to this fact and so I say 'Yes, I believe that God (the God whose grace has been sufficient for me for over twenty years) is now going to heal me from this disease'.  I say this because God, the God with whom all things are possible,  says this.'  1 Corinthians ch.1 25 a states 'For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom.'



The song that I wrote many years ago is my declaration of this:-

You say You love me
You say all things are possible with You
You say You'll heal me
that every word You've spoken will come true
Now my heart has wings, and my spirit sings
Lord I do believe, and I receive Your miracle

Do not conform to the pattern of this world

On Tuesday we visited a place called Tenby, an ancient walled town in West Wales roughly sixty miles west of where we live.  My niece and her family were holidaying there and my husband and myself, my sister and brother in law and their two grandsons all met up with them and spent the afternoon walking around the very pretty town. 

We had a lovely time and as we were making our way back to the car park we took a short cut through a small alleyway.  About halfway through the alleyway I could see something moving slightly in a small space between some of the cobbled stones that we were walking on.  When I bent down I could see that a butterfly had become trapped in a space between some of the cobbles that was about an inch and a half deep.  It was slowly trying to flap its wings to get out but because the size of the space it was trapped in was the same as the size of the butterfly its wings were pushed up against the cobbles and  it could not release itself.  I managed to gently place my fingernails beneath one of its wings and slowly pulled it free. Then I lifted it up, released it from my fingers, and watched it fly away free.


  

I have to say that it was the finishing touch to a wonderful day.  I could not believe that if someone had not suggested that we cut through that alleyway the butterfly would probably have stayed trapped and possibly died in the hole.  It was then that I began to see a spiritual meaning to what had just happened.

This little creature that had wings to fly had become trapped down on the ground, where the wings it had been given were completely unable to do what they had been created to do.   So too, just as the butterfly was prevented from flying while he was trapped down on the ground, we too shall be restricted in our spiritual abilities if we try to fit in with this world by conforming to its ways. 

Romans ch. 12 vs.1 and 2 says 'Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God  - this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.'